IEEE VIS 2024 Content: Glyph-Based Uncertainty Visualization and Analysis of Time-Varying Vector Field

Glyph-Based Uncertainty Visualization and Analysis of Time-Varying Vector Field

Timbwaoga A. J. Ouermi - Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute, Salk Lake City, United States

Jixian Li - University of Utah, Salt Lake City, United States

Zachary Morrow - Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, United States

Bart van Bloemen Waanders - Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, United States

Chris R. Johnson - University of Utah, Salt Lake City, United States

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Room: Bayshore VI

2024-10-14T12:30:00ZGMT-0600Change your timezone on the schedule page
2024-10-14T12:30:00Z
Exemplar figure, described by caption below
3D vector uncertainty glyph. The glyphs' direction corresponds to the median vector direction. The cone glyph encodes angle variation and maximum vector length but omits magnitude variation. The comet glyph includes the magnitude variation and minimum magnitude. However, these variations are not easily discernible. While both the tailed-disc and squid distinguish these uncertainties, the small arrow size and rotational symmetry of the tailed-disc limit the perception. Our proposed squid glyph effectively distinguishes between magnitude and direction variations. Additionally, it employs superellipses (2D superquadrics) to better approximate directional variations, eliminate rotational ambiguity, and improve overall accuracy.
Abstract

Uncertainty is inherent to most data, including vector field data, yet it is often omitted in visualizations and representations. Effective uncertainty visualization can enhance the understanding and interpretability of vector field data. For instance, in the context of severe weather events such as hurricanes and wildfires, effective uncertainty visualization can provide crucial insights about fire spread or hurricane behavior and aid in resource management and risk mitigation. Glyphs are commonly used for representing vector uncertainty but are often limited to 2D. In this work, we present a glyph-based technique for accurately representing 3D vector uncertainty and a comprehensive framework for visualization, exploration, and analysis using our new glyphs. We employ hurricane and wildfire examples to demonstrate the efficacy of our glyph design and visualization tool in conveying vector field uncertainty.